Kettlebell Training with Essential Krav Maga
Kettlebell training is one of the fastest growing strength and conditioning systems today. It is designed for intense all round training which makes it ideal for both men and women of all ages and sizes who are serious about getting into peak physical condition. It is great for burning fat effectively, getting strong and increasing fitness.
What is a Kettlebell?
The Kettlebell or girya in Russian is a cast iron weight used to perform ballistic exercises that combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training. Unlike traditional dumbbells, the Kettlebell’s centre of mass is extended beyond the hand. This necessitates ballistic and swinging movements. Kettlebells offer a different kind of training using dynamic moves targeting almost every aspect of fitness – endurance, strength, balance, agility and cardio. People love it because it's challenging, efficient and they only need one piece of equipment.
Why train with Kettlebells as oppose to a traditional gym?
1. Full Body Workout
Kettlebell basics focus on 3 core lifts: the swing, the snatch and the clean & press. All these drills force the body to work as an integral unit. Power is generated through the legs, driven through the hips and expressed through the arms. Every muscle is brought into play, every muscle is made to work hard.
2. Train your fast twitch muscle fibre
Traditional weight training routines focus on slow, controlled lifts. Missing is exercises that focus on explosive movements. Muscle fibres can be divided into 2 types: Red (Slow Twitch) muscle fibre and White (Fast Twitch) muscle fibre. Slow twitch fibres contract at a slower rate and would suit endurance athletes (marathon runners). Fast Twitch fibres contract at a faster rate (responsible for speed and power). The kettlebell drills focus on training fast twitch muscle fibres. This is a great way to increase explosive strength without adding bulk muscle.
3. Strengthen your Hips and Legs
Hips and legs are made up of some the strongest muscles in the body. They are an extremely important in every day life (supporting the back, hips and knees) and vital in almost every sport. Kettlebell ballistic drills work the glutes, hip flexors, abdominal region and erector spinae hard translating into greatly improved athletic performance.
4. Get a Grip
Well designed Kettlebells have thick handles. Ballistic pulling of athletic heavy kettlebell is a great way of developing grip strength. Picture a 24kg Kettlebell held overhead. In free fall, only the grip will stop it from creating a big crater in the ground. And even more grip will be required to explosively pull it upwards back to the overhead position.
5. Unparalleled Conditioning
Kettlebell sport training develops; strength, endurance and cardiovascular capacity equally and to extreme levels. Unlike standard gym routines with prescribed breakdown set and rep numbers, kettlebell sport specifies a fixed training period where the only 2 goals are to ‘reach the end’ and beat the previous ‘personal best.’ The time under tension is constant as the kettlebell cannot be released. Even ‘resting’ with the racked kettlebell requires exertion. Kettlebells drive incredible amount of eccentric forces through the posterior chain whilst working every muscle throughout the body.
6. Back to Basics
It may feel primal training with these ancient Russian cannonballs, however very few things get the senses sharpened, the blood flowing and the adrenaline pumping like a Kettlebell Workout. The sensation is unparalleled from ordinary mundane gym routines. It is a different kind of training, it is a different mindset!
Hard Style Kettlebell Challenge
Hard Style Kettlebell Training from Dragon Door is the perfect conditioning system to complement Krav Maga. It focuses on developing core strength and explosive power whilst increasing range of motion. Like Krav Maga, Kettlebell workouts are extremely efficient. A 20 minute Kettlebell workout can burn calories equivalent to a 4 hour cardio workout.
Stay tuned to the Essential Krav Maga website and Facebook page for information on Kettlebell classes at Essential Krav Maga (also open to non Krav Maga practitioners).
